Starlight Flames
by TheBlackPaladinsLion
Summary: Shiro just transferred to Garrison University and is struggling now with the new campus. Keith, who had been keeping an eye on the gorgeous man, decides to help. It's against all odds, but maybe this will work out...? Either way, it'll be one hell of a ride for the both of them.


**_This is a Sheith Modern AU that focuses around college, I don't think this will end as tame as it was requested to be but I do help everyone enjoys it. it was requested by a close friend that I adore and I hope that they'll like the story.  
_**

 **Chapter One**

Wind swirled through the air, stirring up the sand and running through his hair. It was hot, burning, but it felt so natural to him he couldn't mind. This was peace, surrounded by only home and lost to everyone but himself. This, this place, it was-

It wasn't real. Suddenly an alarm blared, forcing Keith awake. He was huddled beneath his red comforter, eyes barely peeking over the edge and long hair splayed out against the white pillows. He was almost lost within the blanket but still managing to look intensely irritated. His indigo eyes were alight with both sleep and annoyance. He had been having a good dream as opposed to his usual dreamless emptiness and this digital clock had the audacity to wake him up. With a sigh he turned his head into the pillows and groaned in attempt to further wake himself up. He didn't want to get up but his classes would be starting in the next couple hours and unlike high school he actually really wanted to learn about the material. With an aggressive huff of air Keith sat up, the blankets pooling around his waist as he ran one hand through his hair and used the other to remove the warmth of cloth from his pajama clad form. He swung his legs over the side of his double mattress and stood up, the cuffs of his crimson pajama bottoms swallowed up almost the entirety of his pale feet as he stretched. He popped the joints in his shoulders and most of the ones in his back before he was remotely satisfied and certain he could properly start the day, Keith's apartment wasn't big but he hadn't been looking for big when he bought the space, he had been looking for solitude. He'd gotten what he had been looking for, but through the year he'd been living in the building a few annoying neighbors had moved in. He wouldn't complain, it was still much better than the dorms on campus.

Keith moved swiftly over to his dresser against the wall beside his bed. He'd made sure to place it a good distance from his bed so he wouldn't be able to get dressed without getting up and go back to sleep which he would undoubtedly do. He slid open the dark stained oak drawers and grabbed a few choice items of clothing; a black t-shirt, dark wash jeans and a random pair of boxers. Without a second thought he slid the drawers shut with clothing now draped over his arms and made straight for the bathroom adjacent to his bedroom. Keith was a person to shower in the morning, he'd argue it made you more presentable for the day and that it helped blend all of his morning routine together. After he entered he simply shut the door behind him, turning on the shower spray and placed his clothing on the spotless white counter. He quickly undressed and dumped his pajamas- as he'd worn them each night this week- into the hamper. He hopped into the shower next and pulled the shower curtain shut after he was under the spray, the hot water immediately hitting his skin and forcing his tense muscles to relax. Keith was a very strict person, at least when it came to himself. He had certain things to do at certain times and maintained a specific exercise routine daily no matter the weather conditions, not to mention he always made time to practice with his sword. It was relaxing, being able to maneuver a weapon so well known as gracefully yet deadly as Keith himself did.

Falling from his straying thoughts Keith reached over to the shampoo and pumped a squirt of the lavender-colored soap into his hand. He rubbed his hands together real quick before running his hands through his thick black hair and lathering the shampoo against his scalp. His neighbor sometimes poked fun at him for taking such good care of his hair, Keith never responded but he supposed he did realize most guys his age were greasy messes sometimes. He would rather not be that.

Pushing his thoughts away again Keith ducked his head under the shower spray and let the soap wash out, running his hands through a few times to ensure he got out all the suds. He pushed back the curtain and glanced at the small digital clock he kept on his bathroom counter, it was 6:15 a.m meaning he'd already been in the shower for about twenty minutes. His thoughts must have zoned him out more than he'd realized, so quickly Keith washed himself down with soap and body wash- he was thorough- and hopped right back out of the shower. He dressed himself in record time and brushed his teeth in thirty seconds flat. Bolting from the bathroom at top speed Keith stumbled out of his room and into the small living area with attached kitchenette. He snatched his black leather satchel from where it had been tossed in his exhaustion on the couch the night before and ran for the door, certain his keys were in his satchel as he locked the door behind him and made his way down the multiple flights of stairs down to the lobby.

' _You're not even late, slow down you idiot_ ,' He reminded himself grumpily as he skidded to a stop and made his way out the apartment complex at a much calmer pace then he had used to race through the building only moments before. He adjusted the strap of his satchel, pulling it over his head and letting it rest across his chest and back as the bag bounced against his side; full of college work. He needed to get breakfast before heading to campus, not to mention his classes didn't start till eight and it was only 6:20. Keith slowly walked down the sidewalk, the sun hadn't even completely risen yet and the streets were shining both with the majestic white light of dawn and the orange streetlights that still proudly glowed. It was peaceful now, the roads were empty for the most part and Keith lived in an area more surrounded by trees and nature than buildings and light pollution. A few stray cats wandered about a few yards away, and unable to stop himself, Keith approached the small creatures.

At first the cats startled, the orange and brown stripped one hissing and fussing as Keith walked over. It spat, hackles raising and back arching but the black cat just tilted it's head curiously as it's gray eyes sparkled. Keith kneeled, placing one knee on the floor and resting his arm on his raised thigh. "Hey," He greeted, and the black one turned to the angry tabby regally, giving some sort of signal in whatever dialect cats spoke in that calmed it. He reached into his satchel, sure he had something in there that they cats would appreciate. As he rummaged through his bag, the black one walked over, head high and put her two front paws on his thigh; looking curiously into his bag as if looking for what mysteries it might hold. The tabby kept it's distance but it's large yellow eyes were just as curious as the black one's if not more so. Keith finally found what he was looking for and pulled out a sandwich bag, within the bag was small cubes of different sorts of cheeses. He knew dairy wasn't the best for a feline's digestive system but cats enjoyed it so he wouldn't be one to take it from them. He opened the bag and grabbed a few blocks of the cheese and held it out upon his open palm. The black one immediately took interest and sniffed at the cheese before starting to lick it. Keith smirked slightly at the action, feeling the cat's scratchy tongue brush against his skin occasionally before it grabbed the cheese in it's mouth and walked back over to the tabby. It placed the cheese on the sidewalk in front of the tabby and knocked the block with it's paw, the tabby didn't even sniff the food before starting to eat at it. The black one wandered over again and grabbed another block for itself before heading right back to it's companion's side. Keith realized he had to go so he got back up, sealing the bag and tucking it away in his satchel as he did so, and started making his way down the sidewalk again.

Keith shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans and continued on with a casual stroll. His head was tilted up slightly, watching the dark sky slowly fill with light as he walked. He was cold, body slightly chilled and the exposed skin of his arms cold to the touch. His body was one for heat, he preferred the summer Texan weather to the cold winter mornings but he'd forgotten his jacket in his unnecessary rush out the door earlier. With his jacket he forgot his gloves, but luckily for him he had a spare of those in his satchel. He stopped, turning his head to his side and opening his satchel. He reached into the front pocket and rummaged around a bit before he pulled out two black leather fingerless gloves and slid them on with practiced ease. He _always_ wore them, it's been so long since he hadn't that his hands felt almost like they were stripped of a layer of skin without them. It's why he has spares, he even had a spare with one of the professors at his school. Now that his hands were covered and a sense of closely forgotten normalcy was placed over him Keith turned to enter his local cafe, he spent next to no time here but it was along the way on his walk to campus.

Immediately as he entered the cafe Keith was hit with a rush of warmth, the heaters were on and his cold flesh appreciated it more than he would ever admit. It wasn't like the books or movies though where everyone seemed to be assaulted with smells of sweet pastries and bitter coffee or whatever, almost no one was there sans the employee behind the counter and a few people he could see bumbling about in the back. With a huff Keith headed straight to the counter, his head held straight as it always was and his posture deadly. The barista looked at him and raised an unimpressed eyebrow, "What do you want kid?" she asked, looking annoyed as steely blue eyes stared Keith down.

Keith stared right back, unaffected, "Coffee, black, and whatever muffin you have in stock." He said coolly, pulling his wallet out of his bag and grabbing a ten from the pouch. The barista looked him over again, not bothering to read out the price to him, and took the money he offered. She huffed out an angry breath like a furious bull as she pulled his change from the cash register and forced it messily into his hand. With a roll of his eyes at how dramatic she was Keith vaguely wondered if maybe she'd spit in his drink. He grimaced at that, most guys would love to swirl the rude blonde's spit in their mouths but Keith was appalled by the very idea of that. With intentions not to get in anyone's way Keith made his way to the end of the counter, believing this is where he'd get what he'd ordered when it was ready. He had nothing better to do, and with the realization he didn't have his jacket came the realization his jacket also had his very dead phone in the pocket so he couldn't even check that, Keith watched the barista brew his coffee. She was angrily mashing the coffee maker's buttons in her misplaced fury and as the caffeine-filled liquid brewed she grabbed a piece of tissue paper and foraged the displays with her eyes, searching for the most unappetizing muffin she could find. She found a fairly squashed blueberry muffin and grabbed it, shoving it into a spotted paper bag that was obvious made specifically for the cafe brand with the logo printed boldly across the top. She rolled up the top of the bag and put it aside as the coffee machine sputtered, finishing off the brew. She grabbed the pot forcefully and poured it into a cardboard cup with the heat protector already secured around the base. She shoved the lid on the cup, snatched up the bag and headed his way.

Keith straightened as she approached, when she reached him she thrust her arms out holding his items. The bag was crumpling in her grip and he grabbed it with a calm carelessness that only seemed to agitate her more. Good. Keith pulled his coffee from her grip, watching as she gave him a strained "Have a good day," obviously company policy to say to the customers. Keith smirked at her, looking every part as smug as he felt, turned to the door and left without saying a word. As the door shut behind him he heard her give an infuriated squawk, what a satisfying way to start a morning. She'd started it by calling him kid, they looked to have been around the same age even, and then took his bluntness as rudeness. It wasn't his fault he didn't care she read him the wrong way. He tucked the cup into the loose cup holder pouch on his satchel and opened the poor disheveled bag the barista had shamelessly abused. With the crumbled muffin he could actually smell the blueberries now that they were exposed, he reached into the bag and picked off a piece of the muffin and popped it into his mouth. It honestly wasn't the best Keith had ever tasted but it wasn't terrible, though even if it had been he would've eaten it anyway. Breakfast was important and he refused to fall behind just because he didn't like the taste of a dumb pastry or something.

Keith continued on his journey, walking along and continuously popping chunks of muffin into his mouth as he allowed the boiling hot coffee obediently stationed in his satchel to cool down. The morning was getting warmer, and with the warmth came the sun's yellow glow and the deactivation of the street lights. Keith guessed it was probably nearing seven o'clock to seven-fifteen at this point which meant his classes would start up in an hour or so. Campus was still a bit away but if he kept up this pace he was confident he'd reach the college within the next twenty minutes giving him more free time than he needs. Instead of continuing on, Keith slows down and crumples up the now empty bag his muffin had been in and glances around for a trashcan. Without a bin in sight he places the ball of paper into his satchel atop of his work so that he wouldn't forget to throw it away later. With the trash off his mind and time to spare Keith slid the coffee from it's place in his satchel and took a cautious sip, weary of burning his tongue. When all he tasted was bitter coffee he took a more confident gulp, most people drank coffee for the caffeine fix he supposed but Keith just liked the taste. Black coffee was strong and distinct and he liked it that way. Sometimes he added flavorings or creamers but his favorite would always be black, it was just better.

Now that Keith had slowed down he could really take in his surroundings, he walked this path twice a day and knew it like the back of his hand but every time he just stopped to look it somehow got better. Behind the small business and name brand stores the town he lived in was framed by gorgeous pine trees filled with tame wildlife and beautiful predators that stalked it's prey gracefully. Birds sang heart-stopping songs in the wonderful bright morning and the colors of this place just stood out in breathtaking contrast. If Keith was an art major he'd spend every waking moment he could trying to make this place a muse, it was stunning... but it wasn't what he wanted. Keith used to live on the Texan border of the Chihuahuan desert a mile or two from the nearest town. It had just been him, alone and content out in the middle of nowhere in the hot, hot desert. He had nothing wrong with colors, or nature, or brightness but he had been so happy before. He'd barely skidded past high school but he wanted so badly to go to a certain college. Keith had never really wanted something so much in his short life, and now here he was; attending Garrison University thanks to a recommendation by a dedicated teacher that told him he could do anything if he just gave the effort he needed, that Keith had the ability to be great. Keith had glided through his first year with flying colors... for the most part. Keith was also a pretty irritated and violent guy, so he'd gotten into a few fights here and there and definitely had his fair share of rage spites. It was nothing as intense as it sounded, at least not to him. He was validated in his actions, and he wouldn't change what he had done even if he had the ability.

Garrison University was strict, their rules were enforced and they didn't believe in late work. Though despite that, most of the professors were firm believers in "extending the deadline" for students. The school was well-versed in everything from art to science but it was most well known for certain courses, as a lot of places were, but Garrison had more than science and engineering and math. It had _space_. The Garrison was known throughout the world for it's classes in space from technology to just what was known about it, you could learn anything about space from the Garrison. Keith was working on an astrology major, but he wanted to try his fair share of aerospace as well. He wanted to see it all, whether he completed the courses or not he just wanted to _see_ it. He was young, barely twenty, and he had so much ahead of him and Keith wanted at least one part of it to always revolve around the cosmos and the billions upon billions of galaxies surrounding the meek little planet of Earth.

Time was passing quickly, and even though he had slowed his pace to stop his quick approach to campus his thoughts had taken over once again and as if he had teleported Keith was suddenly on the campus grounds. There were a few other students wandering about on campus with friends but other than that most people were either in classes or still asleep. The campus was huge and covered in all sorts of greenery to line the pathways. They had no fancy fountains and only a very few benches to sit out on, most of the grounds were just lawn, sidewalk, and trees. Keith followed along the familiar hallway that lead him to the front door and walked up the steps to the grand set of front doors. He opened one of the glass entrances and headed inside, continuing on down the halls he didn't bother to look at. He knew by heart by now where his first class was. Keith chugged the last few mouthfuls of his coffee, and then-

He slammed straight into someone.

Keith fell back, whoever he walked into it had been like slamming right into a slightly less sturdy brick wall, hitting the floor with a thud. His shoulders slammed into the floor before he could catch himself and _damn_ that _hurt_. "Are you okay?" A deep voice asked above him, obviously the person Keith had ran into, but Keith sat up and pulled his legs up slightly. He rubbed one of his shoulders in attempt to ease the pain slightly and feel for tender spots on the skin.

"It was my fault," Keith ground out, not liking to admit to his failure. He hadn't been paying attention to where he was going because he was confident he would get to class without needing to see where he was going. Thinking that to himself now, he realized just how terribly stupid he was being.

"That didn't answer my question," The voice sounded amused now, and Keith looked up to either snap or glare, he wasn't quite sure which, but the face standing above him stopped him in his tracks. God, that was the most cliche thing he had probably ever thought but _woah_ this guy deserved it. The man was dressed in tight black pants, black combat boots, a tight gray muscle shirt, and a black vest. He had both a tall and a strong build (like Keith can see both his arm and leg muscles and he needed to know this guys workout routine) and his hair was shaved on both sides and in the back, but short on the top with a dark forelock hanging into his face. His eyes were gray and there was a thick scare across the bridge of his nose. Very pristine and military uniform, Besides all of those points-

This man was damn gorgeous.


End file.
